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Elevation: 523 ft
GPS: 41.1472, -76.14462
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 156,114 total · 877/month
Shared By: Jarred Cleerdin on Aug 7, 2009
Admins: Justin Johnsen, SCPC, SWPACC, EPAC
Warning Access Issue: Paradise, Library, and Hawk Rock closed to climbing DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

"Mocanaqua" is the general location title that covers several distinct crags and boulder "gardens" scattered in the hills behind the town of Mocanaqua. The specific crag names are Paradise, The Library, Main Wall, Hawk Rock, and Squirrel Rock, along with quite a few others. There is a bunch of great climbing and fortunately most of it has good legal access.

If you're into history, the region's coal mining heritage is in evidence here in the form of great culm banks, abandoned structures, open mine shafts, etc. Paradise, for example was a dumping ground for this mine waste known as "culm" and untold tons of the stuff got poured right over the top. As you approach the cliff from the river, this culm is in evidence the whole way and you can imagine the carts dumping load after load over the top until the cliff almost disappeared. Lucky for us they stopped, leaving a fifty of sixty foot band exposed. The routes here go up to 5.12+ and there bouldering and highballs galore.

Geologically, the rock is quartzite of the Penobscot formation, and (I think) it's pretty cool that it's the same ridge that has exposures in West Virginia (Seneca) and in New York (The Gunks).

As far as climbing history goes, the first person I know of who started developing these cliffs was Albert Pisaneschi and I'm pretty sure that began in the late seventies/early eighties. For some reason Bob D'Antonio is the name that comes up but you can be sure he contributed a fraction of a percent of what Albert did. My guess is Bob talked, Al did not. Albert never reported his own routes, but he was prolific, climbing 5.13 sport, hard trad, ground up first ascents of hard (A4) nail ups, etc. Yet another "unsung" hero of our sport as his friend Rich Romano would like to say.

Access

Some of the climbing areas and trails here are owned by the Earth Conservancy, who does not allow rock climbing on their land.

Getting There Suggest change

Driving from Philadelphia or Lehigh valley or New Jersey or New York City, usually faster to take I-80 West to exit 256, then rt 93 north + west about 3 miles, then turn right on rt 239 North and go 7.5 miles north (with several turns) through Wapwallopen to Mocanaqua. (without using rt 11 or visiting Shickshinny).

To the Main Wall from US 11 cross the bridge into Mocanaqua. Follow 239 into town to where 239 makes a 90 turn to the right go straight on SR 3004 instead of following 239.

The parking is a small dirt lot up a mile give or take on the left immediately off the road before the s turns. The trail is on the right of the little parking lot. The Main Wall cliff parallels the road here and is quite close to the road, but nicely screened by the trees.

Or just use Gordon's directions on Google Maps.

Bat Conservation | How You Can Help

Suggest change

See a Bat on a Route, Give Us a Shout! 

Hey climbers, the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance of Climbers (EPAC) is working with Rob Schorr at Colorado State University to help him spread the word about his bat research. Here’s a message from him about this important work and how, we as climbers, can help.

"Climbers for Bat Conservation is working with climbers to understand bat ecology and why bats choose certain cracks and flakes. We’re a collaboration between climbers, bat biologists, and land managers to understand where bats roost and where large populations may reside. We are interested in finding bats because of a new disease called white-nose syndrome (whitenosesyndrome.org) which has killed millions of bats in North America. This collaboration has identified bat roosts throughout the U.S., and as far away as Norway and Bulgaria. CBC was developed by biologists who climb and they are advocates for climbing access and bat conservation.

So, if you see bats while climbing, please let us know by emailing us at climbersforbats@colostate.edu, or visiting our website to learn more. climbersforbats.colostate.edu."

Thank You!
Rob Schorr

Zoologist, Colorado Natural Heritage Program (warnercnr.colostate.edu/rschorr/)
Director, Climbers for Bat Conservation
Robert.schorr@colostate.edu

107 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Mocanaqua (aka Shickshinny) Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Mocanaqua (aka Shickshinny)

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V3 6A
 12
Buddha Wintergreen
Boulder
V4 6B
 11
Gladiator
Boulder
V5 6C
 6
Strawberry Shortcake
Boulder
V6 7A
 6
Energy
Boulder
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
 27
Pizza Crack
Trad, TR
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 12
Beginner's Crack
Trad, TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 23
Cornflake Crack
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 22
Urine Over Your Head
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 24
Stairway to Heaven
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 22
Grey Face
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 18
Great Expectations
Sport, TR
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 11
I-Beam
Trad, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 13
Flamer
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 15
Thunder Stud
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13
 7
War and Peace
Sport, TR
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Buddha Wintergreen Squirrel Rock > Squirrel Rock Bouldering
 12
V3 6A Boulder
Gladiator Squirrel Rock > Squirrel Rock Bouldering
 11
V4 6B Boulder
Strawberry Shortcake Squirrel Rock > Squirrel Rock Bouldering
 6
V5 6C Boulder
Energy Squirrel Rock > Squirrel Rock Bouldering
 6
V6 7A Boulder
Pizza Crack Main Wall
 27
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 Trad, TR
Beginner's Crack Main Wall
 12
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, TR
Cornflake Crack Library > Main Block, Back Side
 23
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Urine Over Your Head Library > Main Block, Front Side
 22
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Stairway to Heaven Library > Rear Wall
 24
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Grey Face Library > Main Block, Back Side
 22
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Great Expectations Library > Main Block, Back Side
 18
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport, TR
I-Beam Paradise
 11
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, TR
Flamer Library > Main Block, Back Side
 13
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Thunder Stud Library > Rear Wall
 15
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
War and Peace Library > Rear Wall
 7
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13 Sport, TR
More Classic Climbs in Mocanaqua (aka Shickshinny) »

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